“The Haudenosaunee Creation Story is as important to an understanding of the Kayanerenko:wa as the Bible is important to an understanding of the laws of Canada and the United States.”

— Kayanesenh Paul Williams

Really?

Governance systems that honor all life?

Yes. It is possible.

It arises from a cosmovision…. not just structures.

And cosmovisions live in stories and myths. Which is where this course is dwelling.

Orientation starts January 16.

This winter, the traditional time of storytelling, engage with these powerful stories.

FAQ

This sounds so cool, and I want to invite my colleagues to join me. Is there a limit to students?

We strongly encourage people to invite colleagues and community members to take this class. Cohorts are capped at 12. If more people sign up, we will create more cohorts.

Remind me, who is the Haudenosaunee Confederacy again?

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy are The People of the Longhouse. The Confederacy is composed of six nations: Onondaga, Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Cayuga and the Tuscarora. They are part of the Iroquoian language group. They were known by the French as the Iroquois. Their homelands stretched as far West as Niagra Falls, along the Mohawk River to the Hudson River, North to what is now Toronto, and south along both sides of the Allegheny mountains to what is now Catskill, New York; at the height of their power, their influence extended to present-day Virginia, Kentucy, and into the Ohio Valley.

I’ve heard of the Haudenosaunee, but not of the Tuscarora Nation. What’s the relationship between the two?

The Tuscarora Nation is considered the sixth nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. They wandered south a long time ago, settling in what is now North Carolina. When the colonizers arrived and disrupted their lives and their livelihoods, many of them returned north. The Mohawks recognized their language, and welcomed them back home.

What is the Kayanerenko:wa, the Great Law of Peace?

In their own stories, the Kayanerenko:wa (the Great Law of Peace) was established by Deganawidah, the Great Peacemaker, along with Hiawatha and Jigonsaseh, the Mother of Nations, after a time of great violence and warfare between the nations. In this time of violence came the Peacemaker. He brought the Law of Peace. This course will cover some of those stories, and the ethos, values, and cosmovisions that they entail.

Are we going to learn the Great Law of Peace?

The Great Law of Peace entails both the stories and the structure of the constitution. We are going to focus on a few key stories; not the entire story of the Peacemaker. We are not going to be focusing on the constitution. If there is enough demand, we will facilitate further courses happening (with other instructors) in the future on these themes.

Are we going to learn new ways of governing ourselves?

No. We are learning the stories that lie beneath this particular governance system. Different indigenous cultures have different systems of governance and different mythos and cosmovisions from which those system airse.

Is it OK for settlers to hear these stories? Are we engaging in cultural appropriation?

All of the stories we are working with are already publicly available on YouTube, in articles, books, and children’s stories. They are already accessible for the public. We are purposefully only sharing information that is already available for the wider global public and are designing this course so that it does not engage in cultural appropriation.

Will this help me imagine different kinds of structures of governance?

We hope so. Even more so, we hope that it will support the imaginations of different mythologies that can yield different forms of governance, and to think deeply about what it means to enable peace.

Why is this class shaped via dialogue?

As we have been talking and sharing different spaces together, Kristine and Sara Jolena both find that it is often best for them to talk about indigenous related ideas to (especially white) settlers together. Sometimes, people can understand Kristine better, and sometimes, people can understand Sara Jolena better, even when we are saying very similar things. And sometimes, Kristine doesn’t want to do all the education of white folks herself: there are lots of places that Sara Jolena can step in. As a theologian, Sara Jolena will help to tease out some of the similarities and differences between the these stories and the stories in the Judeo-Christian tradition which have deeply shaped America and much of the world. While this class is not a comparison between Haudenosaunee and Christian mythologies, it is nearly inevitable that comparisons and contrasts will occur. Further, we want to emphasize the importance of dialogue between peoples, and so modeling it will help this happen.

What’s the structure of each class?

Each class will entail a combination of a dialogue between Kristine and Sara Jolena about the story itself and participant engagement with the stories. This is not simply a course of listening - we expect active participation on the calls, unless you are choosing the option of not participating in the calls themselves.

Are you experts in these stories and these topics?

We are not!!!!

Nor are we a fan of expert-driven learning styles, where “experts” or “elders” pass down information for the masses. We both bring years of experience as educators, facilitators, and communicators across multiple cultures. . We both carry years of experience and hard-won skills in working with historical trauma, creating safe and healing spaces, and figuring out what is “our work” …. and what is not. If you are looking for an “indigenous elder” or a theological expert, we will probably disappoint you. That said, many people have referred to us as “wise.”

What kind of homework is there?

There is no homework prior to the first class. At the first class, we will send out some background reading material and the first story. After that, we will send out the story for each session: this is required for participants to listen to prior to the subsequent class. We expect homework will be an hour per session, or 30 minutes/week. There will be optional and supplementary reading and audio material, but the primary homework is your full engagement and participation. In comparison to our ReMembering for Life course, there is minimal homework.

I’ve never heard of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s contribution to US governance. Will I find out more about that?

Absolutely. Sara Jolena will provide an audio recording and a series of references about the Haudenosaunee contribution to U.S. governance.

I want to learn more about the overarching context and how this relates to the Doctrine of Discovery and the genocides of indigenous peoples. Is this the right course?

You might enjoy taking this course, but we will not be going into that material. For a more overarching history of the Doctrine of Discovery and for a deeper look at why settlers did not understand these stories, we recommend The ReMembering Course.

If I’m also taking The ReMembering Course, is it OK to take this class?

Yes! The two courses nicely compliment one another.

Is there any requirements for this course?

This is a place for respect, deep listening, and the willingness to let your own assumptions be challenged. No other course is required. We do request that all participants take an evaluation survey and in other ways help us improve this course for future participants.

About pricing - can I offer a donation so others can take this course free of charge? Can I apply for a scholarship?

Absolutely. As with all Sequoia Samanvaya’s courses, we offer scholarships and we appreciate donations towards providing others with scholarships! We want this course to be available to everyone who is really interested.

I’m excited that you are bringing in the Tuscarora language. Can I make an individual donation to that program?

Yes! Please contact us for details.

I am not based in either the U.S. or Canada. Can I take this class?

Yes! We see this course as relevant for anyone who is interested in how myths shape reality … especially our governance structures, and for all who want to be part of forming governance structures and cultures that honor ecosystems and all of life. Further, as this history shaped the United States, and as the United States ideas about governance shaped the rest of the world, we are hoping that this We hope that participants will bring a range of myths, ecosystems and experiences with them.

Will this strengthen my capacity to work for peace?

Yes! Or at least, past participants have said so! The stories here are about a society that was torn apart by war, and how it was able to come back together gain. We see this as an increasingly relevant set of stories to share.